See Also [[Tutorials: How to set FTS up to compose music for the Lambdoma]] - other [[Tutorials]]

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==Intro==

==Intro==

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The Lambdoma is 2D. So there are two ways to think about it:

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The Lambdoma is 2D. You can think of it as:

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Eight rows each with eight cells

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or as:

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eight rows each with eight cells

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Eight columns each with eight cells.

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eight columns each with eight cells.

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You will find that there are several ways to play it from the music keyboard - from successive white keys, from all the keys, from each octave of the keyboard, and so on.

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There are several ways to play it from the music keyboard. By rows, by columns, and various ways of assigning keyboard keys to the Lambdoma.

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With all of them, you can play by '''''rows''''' or by '''''columns'''''. You can also swap between the two methods while you play.

==How to do it==

==How to do it==

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[[Image:Lambdoma_In_As.png]]

[[Image:Lambdoma_In_As.png]]

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You need to choose how you want to play it. Here it is set to consecutive white keys. For details see the next section.

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There are many options there, and you need to choose how you want to play it.

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Here it is set to '''''consecutive white keys'''''. For details of how this works, see the next section.

Then just play the notes from the music keyboard. You will see the notes on the Lambdoma picture as you play.

Then just play the notes from the music keyboard. You will see the notes on the Lambdoma picture as you play.

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===Consecutive white keys===

===Consecutive white keys===

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To get an idea of how it works, play this score - the first treble clef is shifted UP two octaves on your midi keyboard. The last bass clef is shifted DOWN two octaves:

[[Image:Lambdoma test.png]]

[[Image:Lambdoma test.png]]

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The first note, C# is shown grayed out - you play it, but it doesn't sound. It is a '''''key switch''''' (see next section).

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You can play any C# key. It selects the '''''rows''''' of the Lambdoma. (If you want columns instead, you play an Eb first which will swap rows and columns.)

The chord (bar 2) plays the first column of the Lambdoma - or first row sloping diagonally up to right in the diamond lambdoma.

The chord (bar 2) plays the first column of the Lambdoma - or first row sloping diagonally up to right in the diamond lambdoma.

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[[Image:Lambdoma_first_column.png]]

[[Image:Lambdoma_first_column.png]]

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Each bar after that plays a row of the Lambdoma.

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To play it you press these keys on your music keyboard:

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Bar 4<br>

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[[Image:Lambdoma_first_column_keys.png]]

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[[Image:Lambdoma_second_row.png]]

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So every eight white keys play one row of the Lambdoma.

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In the score, each bar after the first one plays a row of the Lambdoma.

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Bar 9<br>

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[[Image:Lambdoma_second_last_row.png]]

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Played from keys<br>

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[[Image:Lambdoma_second_last_row_keys.png]]

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===key switches to swap rows and columns, etc===

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These key switches can be used if the keys are available (not used to play any other notes).

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They can all be used with the option to play from successive white keys.

You can swap rows and columns by playing these '''''key switches''''' before any other notes:

You can swap rows and columns by playing these '''''key switches''''' before any other notes:

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* F# to play broken chords with each note.

* F# to play broken chords with each note.

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These are configured in {{w145}}

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The auto harmony chords are configured in {{w145}}. The idea there is that any '''''notes in the same row of the Lambdoma are in harmony''''' with each other. So also, any '''''notes in the same column are in harmony'''''. So this makes it easy to play harmonious chords along with the notes you play by adding in extra notes in the same row or column.

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Note that you can also swap rows and columns using the CAPS LOCK key which is useful for some of the keyboard options. If you want this, select it in the In As menu. It is normally switched off to prevent accidental use.

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===The other options===

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====Play each Lambdoma row from OCTAVE of the keyboard====

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Each row, or column is played from an octave of the keyboard:

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[[Image:Lambdoma_octave_keys.png]]

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Since there are only seven keys to an octave, an extra note is needed to complete the row. It is played from the F# key.

Intro

You will find that there are several ways to play it from the music keyboard - from successive white keys, from all the keys, from each octave of the keyboard, and so on.

With all of them, you can play by rows or by columns. You can also swap between the two methods while you play.

How to do it

First, you need to connect the midi keyboard to your computer. If there is no midi connection you can use the Edirol UM1-SX or similar.

Use it to connect your keyboard to the computer.

Select it in the In menu:

Make sure it says CURRENTLY OPEN.

In the In As menu, choose to treat it as a music keyboard:

There are many options there, and you need to choose how you want to play it.

Here it is set to consecutive white keys. For details of how this works, see the next section.

Then just play the notes from the music keyboard. You will see the notes on the Lambdoma picture as you play.

Music Keyboard Options

Consecutive white keys

To get an idea of how it works, play this score - the first treble clef is shifted UP two octaves on your midi keyboard. The last bass clef is shifted DOWN two octaves:

The first note, C# is shown grayed out - you play it, but it doesn't sound. It is a key switch (see next section).

You can play any C# key. It selects the rows of the Lambdoma. (If you want columns instead, you play an Eb first which will swap rows and columns.)

The chord (bar 2) plays the first column of the Lambdoma - or first row sloping diagonally up to right in the diamond lambdoma.

Bar 2

To play it you press these keys on your music keyboard:

So every eight white keys play one row of the Lambdoma.

In the score, each bar after the first one plays a row of the Lambdoma.

Bar 9

Played from keys

key switches to swap rows and columns, etc

These key switches can be used if the keys are available (not used to play any other notes).

They can all be used with the option to play from successive white keys.

You can swap rows and columns by playing these key switches before any other notes:

C# for rows

Eb for columns.

These keys don't sound. They just swap the playing style - to play rows or play columns

You can also play auto harmony chords with each note you play using these key switches.

Ab to switch auto harmony on / off

Bb to swap between otonal (overtone based) harmony and utonal (undertone based harmony).

F# to play broken chords with each note.

The auto harmony chords are configured in
Lambdoma Auto Harmony and Show Tonality Info (Ctrl + 145). The idea there is that any notes in the same row of the Lambdoma are in harmony with each other. So also, any notes in the same column are in harmony. So this makes it easy to play harmonious chords along with the notes you play by adding in extra notes in the same row or column.

Note that you can also swap rows and columns using the CAPS LOCK key which is useful for some of the keyboard options. If you want this, select it in the In As menu. It is normally switched off to prevent accidental use.

The other options

Play each Lambdoma row from OCTAVE of the keyboard

Each row, or column is played from an octave of the keyboard:

Since there are only seven keys to an octave, an extra note is needed to complete the row. It is played from the F# key.